Introduction
Goblins are rather effective at maneuvering the terrain (especially at a Swampland terrain) and in staying alive. Goblin mages have access to the Reanimate Dead spell, allowing them to heal at a cost of 3 spell points/health. At a Swampland terrain, their ability to maneuver is difficult to stop. The Goblins are average when it comes to magic, have fairly good melee potential, but are relatively weak when it comes to missile attacks, compared to some other races (such as Amazons or Frostwings).

Goblin Racial Ability
As their only special ability, Goblin units double their maneuvers when at a Swampland terrain.

The Goblin units
Commons…
Thug [maneuver, save, melee, melee, melee x2]
The Thug is a good melee Common, concentrating heavily on melee, with a bit of saves and maneuvers. It can be very useful to have in an army that is marching to an Eighth Face, and the Reanimate Dead spell can bring the Thug back for a cost of 3 spell points.

Mugger [maneuver, maneuver, melee, melee x2, save]
The Mugger is similar to the Thug, except that it has one less melee icon and one more maneuver.

Pelter [missile, missile x2, maneuver, save, save]
If you're looking to build a missile army, but want to trade off some missile power for extra saves, then the Pelter is a good bet. It has less missile icons than most missile Commons, but makes up for it in terms of defensive capabilities.

Wardog Rider [maneuver, maneuver x2, melee, melee, save]
The Wardog Rider is one of the most widely used Goblin units. In a Swampland in particular, a group of Wardog Riders is almost impossible to out-maneuver.

Trickster [melee, maneuver, magic, magic, magic x2]
The Trickster is another widely used unit. In addition to the standard 4 magic icons that are present on most magic Commons of other races, it provides a bit of maneuver as well. With access to Gold magic, Transmute Rock to Mud and Path spells can be used at just the right times to steal a quick Eighth Face.

Uncommons…

Cutthroat [maneuver x3, save x2, melee x2, melee x2, melee x3]
Like the Thug, the Cutthroat is a good unit to have in a melee brawl. It packs a heavy melee punch, but also maneuvers well and has some saves.

Ambusher [maneuver x2, maneuver x3, melee x3, missile x2, save x2]
The Ambusher maneuvers almost as well as the Wolf Rider. It can be occasionally useful in either melee and missile strikes, and has some saves as well.

Slingman [missile x3, missile x3, maneuver x2, melee x2, save x2]
The Slingman isn't quite as useful as most of the missile Uncommons from the other races. With only 6 missile icons, it's focus is diluted somewhat by its 2 melee icons. Other than that, like many other Goblin units, it provides both maneuvers and saves, which are always useful.

Wolf Rider [maneuver x3, maneuver x3, melee x2, melee x2, save x2]
The Wolf Rider is very fast in the Swamplands, with its 6 maneuver icons. Its icon distribution is similar to the Wardog Rider, with the main focus on maneuvers and melee, with a few saves on the side.

Hedge Wizard [maneuver x2, save x2, magic x2, magic x3, magic x3]
Unlike the Trickster, the Hedge Wizard has some saves instead of melee. This means that the Hedge Wizard is more likely to stay alive than the Trickster, which is important when you consider that the Goblins have no magic that can heal multi-health units.

Rares…

Marauder [melee x3, melee x4, maneuver x2, save x3, Smite x4]
The Marauder, like most heavy melee Rares, is strong in melee (especially with the Smite face), and also has a few maneuvers and saves. A few Marauders can help to ensure that your enemies clear out of your path as you move the terrain into melee range and on towards an Eighth Face.

Filcher [maneuver x3, save x3, melee x3, melee x3, Counter x4]
The Filcher has everything that you'd expect of a light melee unit. It saves well with its save and Counter face, is strong in melee, and has a few maneuvers as well. The Filcher will often have a place in any army that is marching towards an Eighth Face.

Deadeye [missile x3, missile x4, melee x2, save x3, Bullseye x4]
The Deadeye is a better missile unit than either the Pelter or the Slingman, with 7 missile icons and a 4-point Bullseye. It also saves well, but doesn't have any maneuvers.

Leopard Rider [Rend x3, Rend x3, missile x3, melee x4, save x3]
The Leopard Rider is one of the most feared units in the game, due to its two Rend faces. It is not uncommon to see a half dozen Leopard Riders together at a terrain, ready to melee opponents to death. The Leopard Rider maneuvers well (especially in a Swampland), has some saves, and most of all is a melee powerhouse.

Death Mage [maneuver x3, save x2, magic x3, magic x4, Cantrip x4]
Like the Hedge Wizard, the Death Mage has magic, saves, and maneuvers. Its 4-point Cantrip is especially good for bringing in a reinforcement (by bringing in Dragonkin, casting a Path to move a unit, or Reanimate to bring a dead unit back), or to cast a Finger of Death to cause a sudden casualty, or to cast Ashes to Ashes to bury enemy dead that have a reasonable chance of returning to the game.

Monsters…

Cannibal [Swallow, maneuver, melee, Sleep, Stun, Surprise, Net, save, save]
The Cannibal was released in 2012 as the 5th monster for the Goblin race. It adds some interesting melee capabilities to a Goblin attack with a wide variety of SAIs.

Death Naga [Poison, Poison, magic, magic, melee, melee, maneuver, maneuver, save]
The Death Naga is a somewhat varied unit, focused mainly on melee, but with a bit of magic to add to its maneuvers and its save face. The Poison SAI can be very helpful in getting a few enemy units buried and out of play.

Harpy[Screech, Screech, Fly, Fly, Fly, save, melee, melee, melee]
The Harpy is a solid melee unit that saves and maneuvers very well, due to its three Fly faces. The Harpy has a 40% chance to contribute to maneuvers or a save roll, a 60% chance to contribute to a melee action, and a 10% chance to contribute to a missile action – but since it’s a group monster, it has a 10% chance to roll again when its ID icon is rolled.

Shambler [Smother, Smother, save, save, save, Smite, melee, melee, melee]
The Shambler is another strong unit that is especially effective against units that don't maneuver well. The Smother will kill a targeted unit that fails to roll a maneuver. The Shambler has a 10% chance to contribute to maneuvers or missiles, 70% chance to contribute to a melee action, and a 40% chance to save.

Troll [Regenerate, Regenerate, save, save, Smite, Smite, melee, melee, maneuver]
The Troll is probably one of the top three units in all of Dragon Dice™™, due to its two Regenerate SAIs. Having the ability to instantly heal 4-health of units can often be the key to victory when you get into a war of attrition, and demoralize an opponent when dangerous units they had previously killed return to the table (plus the dice brought back are rolled if the regeneration was rolled during a magic, melee, missile, save or combination roll). The Smite and melee icons also make the Troll a valuable melee unit. The Regeneration ability alone, however, marks the Troll as one of the highest priority units for opponents to eliminate.

Goblin SAIs:Bullseye (Deadeye): During a missile action, each Bullseye result immediately inflicts one point of damage. The total damage may individually target one or more units in the defending army as the acting player chooses. Each target unit must immediately generate saves against the damage assigned to it. During a dragon attack or missile avoidance roll, Bullseye generates missile results.
Cantrip (Death Mage): During a magic action or magic negation roll, Cantrip generates magic results. During any non-magic action, save roll or non-maneuver avoidance roll, Cantrip can be used to purchase spells that are immediately resolved.
Counter (Filcher): During a melee attack or melee avoidance roll, Counter generates melee results. During a save roll, Counter generates save results. During a save roll in a melee attack, Counter immediately generates both save results and melee results upon the attacking army or unit. Only magical saves protect against this damage. During a dragon attack, Counter generates save and melee results.
Fly (Harpies): During any roll, each Fly result generates one maneuver or one save result.
Net (Cannibal): Special (melee and missile attack), Normal (individual save)
During a melee or missile attack, choose up to four health-worth of units in the defending army to be immobilized unless each targeted unit immediately rolls a maneuver result. Target units that fail their avoidance roll cannot be rolled until the beginning of your next turn. When saving against an individual targeting effect, it returns four saves.
Poison (Death Naga): During a melee attack, choose one health-worth of units in the defending army per Poison result generated. Each target unit must immediately generate a save or be killed. Any units that are killed must roll a save or be buried.
Regenerate (Troll): During any non-maneuver roll, this icon generates four save results or you may immediately bring back up to
four health-worth of units from your DUA to the army containing this unit.
Rend (Leopard Rider): During a maneuver roll, each Rend result generates one maneuver result. During a melee attack or melee avoidance roll, each Rend result generates one melee result; roll this unit again and apply the new result as well.
Screech (Harpy): During a melee attack, after the defending army rolls for saves but before they finalize any results, subtract four from the save results.
Sleep (Cannibal): During a melee attack, choose one unit in an opposing army to be immediately put to sleep, with no save possible. The target unit cannot be rolled until the end of your next turn
Smite (Marauder, Shambler, Troll): During a melee attack, each Smite result immediately inflicts one point of damage on the defending army or unit; no saves (including those provided by spells) can stop this damage. During a dragon attack or melee avoidance roll, Smite generates melee results.
Smother (Shambler): During a melee attack, choose up to four health-worth of units in the defending army to immediately roll a maneuver result individually or be killed.
Stun (Cannibal): During a melee attack, choose up to four health-worth of units in the defending army to be stunned unless each targeted unit immediately rolls a maneuver. Target units that fail their avoidance roll cannot be rolled until the end of your turn. Roll this unit again and apply the new result as well
Surprise (Cannibal): During a melee action, the defending army cannot make its counter-attack roll; however, it may make its save roll.
Swallow (Cannibal): During a melee attack, choose one unit in the defending army to immediately roll its ID icon or be killed and buried.

Goblin Racial Spells
Overall, the Goblin racial spells are rather limited in usefulness when compared to those of other races. Reform Land permits the conversion of a Coastland minor terrain to a Swampland minor terrain. Spirit Furnace has some potential use in a mixed army, where the magic can be used to cast any racial magic among those in the casting army, but this spell is likely to be used only in a desperate situation where the player has few options of recovering units in his DUA, or as part of a game-winning move. Soiled Ground raises the stakes of a battle at a Swampland terrain by requiring any unit killed to make a save roll or be buried instead – so the Goblin player should be careful when to use it, or he may see some of his own units buried.
Reform Land (6 gold): Target a minor terrain in your summoning pool that contains the green (water) element. The target minor terrain becomes a swampland minor terrain for the duration of the game. Multiple castings target multiple minor terrains.
Spirit Furnace (4 black): Target your DUA. All dead units are immediately buried and are counted as a number of points of black (death) magic equal to double their total health value buried. The points of magic acquired by this spell may be used to cast racial spells for any race that is in the casting army. This spell can be cast only once per magic action.
Soiled Ground (6 black): Target any swampland terrain. Until the beginning of your next turn, any unit killed at the target terrain that goes into the DUA must roll a save or be buried. Multiple castings target multiple terrains.

Other spells available to the Goblins
Goblins have an interesting combination of black and gold spells, but will often realize the limitations of the options available.

• Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust provide two options to bury units in their opponents DUA, permitting the Goblin player to pursue a battle of attrition by denying opponents the opportunity to bring back their dead;
• Reanimate Dead allows you to return even multi-health units back to the game, which is an important advantage in a battle of attrition;
• Stoneskin is an army-protection spell, and is especially useful when fighting Scalders in melee to counter their Scorching Touch racial ability, or versus opponents' Counter or Volley SAIs;
• Path a very useful spell to suddenly re-deploy your units, and is frequently used to “steal a victory” when a terrain is at the seventh face;
• Finger of Death is among the most effective offensive spells to kill off small or annoying units without allowing a save;
• Transmute Rock to Mud is useful as part of a maneuver strategy, but recognize that it only affects normal maneuvers and has no effect on maneuvers from SAIs, like Fly, Rend, Teleport, and Trample;
• Open Grave can be another effective spell in a melee or battle of attrition, sending your units to the Reserve instead of the DUA, but recognize that this only works for normal damage to the target army and does not apply to unit-targeting damage and damage from Smite;
• Palsy can be a useful “penalty” spell, reducing an enemy army’s ability to generate normal magic, maneuvers, melee, missiles, or saves;
• Deadlands offers an opportunity to double black magic, instead of relying on units being present in anyone’s DUA, but remember that it is lost when the face of the terrain is changed;
• Dragon summoning is important as a means to whittle away your opponent’s forces, and both Black and Gold Dragon breath are very effective, especially against large armies; and
• Summon Dragonkin can provide important protection for your magicians, both in saves and the ability to melee, and remember that Dragonkin are eligible for promotion at a City 8th Face, a dragon’s Treasure Chest, or after a dragon has been killed. A Dragonkin Champion can have an important effect in the game. Dragonkin are like bonus units, but can’t move from the terrain they have been summoned at.

Strategies
One of the best strategies for playing a Goblin army is to make use of their maneuver doubling ability at a Swamplands terrain. One strategy is to get your mages to a terrain that is in magic range and the rest of your units to a Swampland. Summon a few dragonkin to protect the mages and cast some protective spells such as Open Grave on the rest of your units. The other army should outmaneuver your opponents as you move as quickly as possible towards an Eighth Face. A melee-oriented Goblin army under an Open Grave spell within melee range usually has little to fear. Once you reach an Eighth Face, pull your mages over to that terrain, and consolidate your position.

What you do next depends on what condition your opponents are in. However, summoning a few Dragons on them can help to soften them up until you're ready to make your move. A common tactic is to wait until an opponent turns another terrain up to a 7, and then make your move to capture the terrain on your next turn. First roll for magic, doubling any ID icons for gold magic. Then Path a single Goblin unit such as a Harpy or a Leopard Rider (since they maneuver well) together with a Speed Slipper to another terrain, and drop a few Transmute Rock to Mud spells on your opponents to slow them down. Then on your Second March, attempt to capture the second terrain.

Goblin mages have access to black magic, which means that they have the powerful advantage of being able to double their black magic if enough enemy dice are in the DUA. If your opponents have few or no dead, then the Goblin player has the option of casting Deadlands on their terrain, allowing them the opportunity to double their black magic without units having to be in the DUA. In addition, the Goblin player has one trick up his sleeve if the tide starts to move against him. By casting Spirit Furnace, enough black magic can be generated to make a last desperate strike back against your enemy, probably with a fleet of dragons. This can be a common tactic to try in tournaments where time is about to be called, and you need to damage your opponent in order to have a chance to steal a victory.
Army Construction
If you’re new to the game, or don’t have a lot of 3 or 4-health dice, this army is a good “starting point”: 1x Death Mage, 2 x Hedge Wizard, 4 x Tricksters, 1 x Leopard Rider, 1 x Wolf Rider, 4 x Wardog Riders, 1 x Filcher, 1 x Cutthroat, 3 x Mugger, 2 x Thug, 1 x Troll

The intent of either army is to dominate in maneuver and melee with good saving abilities, abandoning magic and missile capabilities. The total number of dice in the army is low (15 and 10), but they are all 3 or 4-health dice with useful SAI’s. The Leopard Riders have two Rend SAI’s allowing the potential for extra damage. The Marauders and Trolls have Smite, to eliminate enemies without a save opportunity. The Troll also has Regenerate to bring back fallen friends. The Filcher has Counter, which can damage an enemy army in melee when saving. This army can take on any other army in melee, and is unlikely to be harmed when it reaches an 8th face. If a Troll falls to a Lightning Strike, it could be brought back by Regenerate, the Gold Medallion's TSR SAI, or by a promotion opportunity for any of your 3-health dice if at an 8th Face City. Another advantage this army enjoys is intimidation: opponents will think twice before sending dragons your way, since they will be so easy to kill with your melee results. The main drawback to this army is a lack of magic once the first Eighth Face is reached. Substituting a few Death Mages can provide more options (such as being able to Path another unit).

(Last edited by dburkley, 12-16-2012.)_________________You can never have too many dice.
First Place at the first ever Daemon Dice™ sealed starter tournament.
Battlefest tied for first GenCon 2012
Single Race Champion GenCon 2008-2009, Sealed Box Champion GenCon 2007,2009,
My collection is 21,500 Dragon Dice™, 20,000 Daemon Dice™, and others (too many to count).

Fairly simply. If you and your opponent are at a Swampland, and you cast Soiled Ground on the terrain, and Open Grave on your army, then your army causalities go to reserves, his go to the Buried Unit Area. Watch out for spells and effects target individual units. Open Grave does not protect those._________________You can never have too many dice.
First Place at the first ever Daemon Dice™ sealed starter tournament.
Battlefest tied for first GenCon 2012
Single Race Champion GenCon 2008-2009, Sealed Box Champion GenCon 2007,2009,
My collection is 21,500 Dragon Dice™, 20,000 Daemon Dice™, and others (too many to count).

I don't know what the Goblin racial spells have been before the current set, but Scent of Fear gives me the willies. Its ability to be cast twice off of Cantrip, and the fact that you get Cantrip off anything but Maneuver rolls, seems like there's a ton of messing with the opponents army. Even with armies that resist getting booted off of an eighth face, like Dwarves or Treefolk, first march to 'retreat' them, then take it.

I guess that's not to dissimilar from other colors of magic adding or removing maneuvers from an army, then Path-ing their own units there to 'surprise' take a terrain.

But the cost of 2 is what keeps making my jaw drop. Call it my incentive for acquiring some more Goblins

That used to be a Feral spell. It's been around for a long time. Never saw it make a big different in any game. I did push someone off an eighth face with it once. They only had 8 health left at that eighth, and I had 16 points of Feral magic to use....

And Path has had a big change if you didn't notice. You cannot Path a unit to a terrain unless you already have an army there. So Path to Victory is no longer possible._________________You can never have too many dice.
First Place at the first ever Daemon Dice™ sealed starter tournament.
Battlefest tied for first GenCon 2012
Single Race Champion GenCon 2008-2009, Sealed Box Champion GenCon 2007,2009,
My collection is 21,500 Dragon Dice™, 20,000 Daemon Dice™, and others (too many to count).

Also note that your two marches must be done with different armies. So if you spend a march to out maneuver them and turn a terrain down (what I assume you mean by retreat). then your second march must be done with a different army so you can't immediately take the terrain that turn._________________Multiplayer Champion Gencon11/Battlefest Champion(tied) GenCon10/World Champion GenCon07/National Champion Origins05/Intermediate Champion GenCon02/Novice Champion Origins99

Yeah, I should have been clearer. Use magic somewhere first, force however many units back somewhere else, then at that somewhere else, use whatever army you have present to second march for ownership.

Instead of magic at 3 to 1 for damage that can be saved, SoF essentially kills for a turn. It creates a window that can be exploited, and it does so at a rate that catches my eye and incites drool. So to speak

It creates a window that can be exploited, and it does so at a rate that catches my eye and incites drool. So to speak

Build an army to exploit it!

Maybe I'll play goblins during the next facebook live game to do just this!_________________Multiplayer Champion Gencon11/Battlefest Champion(tied) GenCon10/World Champion GenCon07/National Champion Origins05/Intermediate Champion GenCon02/Novice Champion Origins99

Tag me, and I'll watch. I've been losing sleep reading through the 'online games' here. My own collection died sometime back in '98 or thereabouts. I've got some in the mail, but my fervor outweighs my pocketbook at the moment.

I've been playing Magic since '94 and I still love it, but I've been collecting other games/systems almost since I was born, and this one and Daemon Dice™ are plenty "deep". Their relative speed and turnaround on games also leads me to believe that I can hook others into/back into them as well.